When Portland Trail Blazers backup big man Joel Freeland went down with a sprained MCL against Oklahoma City on Tuesday, the team lost seemingly modest contributions from a offensively limited role player. Freeland's stats, 3.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14 minutes per game, fail to do justice to his impact. In his second season, Freeland has become an important part of the Blazers' rotation and his absence over the next four to eight weeks has as much to do with who can fill the void as what Freeland brings to the court.

Freeland was the Blazers' only reserve with a positive Net Rating according to NBA.com, meaning Portland scores more points per 100 possessions than it allows with Freeland on the court. Defense has been Freeland's calling card this year, and the numbers bear that out. He has the best defensive rating — points allowed per 100 possessions when on the floor — of any Portland bench player. Additionally, Mo Williams is the only non-starter with a better offensive rating — points scored per 100 possessions — than Freeland.

More important than his defensive prowess that initially won him the backup center role in the preseason is the lack of alternatives. Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson have been subpar on defense all year, and while both are better rebounders than Freeland, their defensive shortcomings are a problem for a team that desperately needs help protecting the paint. Robinson has been a solid contributor on offense, but is the worst defensive big man on the roster. Leonard probably put together his best and most meaningful game of the season Wednesday against the Clippers, but has struggled to contribute consistently on both ends.

Terry Stotts may elect to go with smaller lineups in the absence of Freeland, as he did against the Clippers with Dorell Wright garnering minutes as a stretch-four and CJ McCollum soaking up more time in three-guard lineups. It could also mean the Blazers explore a trade, as ESPN's Kevin Pelton suggests, but the market could prove difficult. Portland owes its first-round pick to Charlotte as compensation for the Gerald Wallace trade, and the front office isn't likely to part ways with McCollum, the team's best young asset.

The Trail Blazers have enough talent to make the playoffs and perhaps earn home-court advantage in the first round without Freeland, but if Portland is to end its 13-year second-round playoff drought, it will need to find consistency from a big man off the bench.